We Met At A Lake House | Greg Feder |

12

The wake was in full swing around an hour later, everyone settled around the garden at tables or otherwise. Adhara had been pulled along by Donna to sit with a group of kids of a mix of ages.

There were three boys all playing on small portable game consoles that were talking amicably between each other as they did, there was another girl sat on the left of them staring down at the grass silently and Donna dragged Ada straight to sit with her.

Adhara recognised two of the boys to be Roxanne and Lenny's sons and briefly remembered the other two children to be the ones that were stood with the dark skinned man from when they first arrived. The girl looked up as they sat down and smiled politely at them while looking confused before Donna began speaking in her rushed jumble of words.

"Hi! I'm Donna and this is my sister Ada, we saw you at our car earlier. I think your dad was talking with our dad so we wanted to come say hi because I thought you might be staying at the lake house with us." She smiled almost nervously. Adhara didn't know whether to feel awkward that her sister has included her in her own thoughts or if she should feel appreciative but it ways done now anyway and there was nothing she could do.

"Oh. Um, hi? I'm Charlotte, it's nice to meet you." She furrowed her brows in anxiety and Adhara decided it was the right moment to say something to try and calm her nervousness.

"It's nice to meet you too." She stated despite her own anxiousness. "That was your dad talking to ours right? Are you guys going to the lake house too?"

"Yea, I'm pretty sure. It's not just me and dad though, my brother, my mom and my grandma are comin too." Charlotte pointed behind her to one of the boys playing on the consoles and he looked up at them like he could sense she was talking about him, though contrarily he probably just heard her.

The boys eyes popped open as he looked at Adhara, eyes scanning her dress clad body up and down before looking in shock to his sister who in turn rolled her eyes at him. "I'm Andre." He told her, holding his hand out in her direction for a handshake. Ada looked him up and down in judgement, annoyed that he hadn't even acknowledged Donna's existence before shaking his hand.

"Ada. This is my sister Donna."

"Mmhm, Donna nice. Ni–nice to meet you Ada. You too Donna." He cleared his throat as he continued to stare at the teen. Adhara rolled her eyes as Donna nudged her, giving her a look of suggestion.

"And who are you guys?" Donna asked with another grin. The two boys barely looked up from their games as they mumbled their names and Donna's face dropped slightly at their lack of communication, Ada felt annoyance bubble up in her at the three males awful and rude social skills but ignored the emotion in favour of squeezing Donna's shoulder comfortingly. Andre elbowed the older male in the side roughly and he reacted by shoving him straight back and giving him a dirty look before Andre whispered a 'dude' loudly and flicked his head in the sisters direction.

The boys head snapped to them and looked over Donna before catching eyes with Ada. Like back in the church, Adhara observed as his eyes widened and softened, his breath hitched and his lips parted but unlike the previous time she kept her expression deadpanned and straight.

He didn't speak, just stared at her in an emotion Adhara couldn't place no matter how hard she tried; though if you asked Donna and Charlotte they'd say he was in awe. Adhara and him didn't look away from each other for minutes until Donna decided she was going to get another piece of cake and took Adhara and Charlotte with her too.

Halfway to the table Charlotte decided she was in need of the toilet and Ada chose to go too.

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The drive to the lake house was as cramped as the drive to the church but I could appreciate the fact it wouldn't take as long. We'd began to go past mounds upon mounds of trees, the lake popping up beside us every so often between them and Curly was panting as he stuck his tongue out against the wind.

Bean had fallen asleep in his car seat and was lightly snoring while Donna sat in boredom while her fist on her cheek. I had lent my hand back against the seats eventually and was thoroughly enjoying the wind in my hair with my eyes closed. It all felt peacefully domestic until dad shouted loudly while speeding up, "Hey, gotta respect the Caddy.", before parking the car.

"It's nice you drove your piggy bank here." Lenny called back while hopping out his own car followed by everyone else. Everyone began to exchange hello's again before Sally excitedly examined the lake house vocally.

"Oh, look at this." Her voice held a tone of awe and happiness, her smile as wide and bright as always when her eyes lit up.

I couldn't pick out a certain conversation to listen in on as I climbed out the back seat with the help of Eric until I heard the blonde man speak about the singing man's car. "Hey, Rob's car is an Oompa Loompa too." I don't know if this man can actually get funnier but I want him as my best friend, right now.

I was the only one to laugh at the joke as everyone else rushed around and he looked at me with a smile as I did, laughing along with me. "Ada." I introduced with a grin, still amused.

"Marcus." He smirked back widely. I wondered how he was friends with my dad if he was actually funny and my dad was the epitome of shitty told dad jokes but I supposed I'd find out during this trip at some point.

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| This chapter was a little shorter than the others but the next should involve a lot more Greg and Ada so I hope that'll make up for it!

Adhara is starting to become a little more sassy so that might just indicate that she's getting a little more comfortable around her family. I think her friendship with Charlotte and Andre is going to be great and I definitely think that they're going to be flirty between each other as a joke after a while. I can't wait for her to meet Gloria because I just know they're going to get along ;)

I also just wanted to let you guys know that I'll be posting a new fanfiction on my page and I hope you'll go check that out. It should be up in the next few hours or so! |

(You guys know the drill at this point 🙃 I haven't read this through or edited it yet, please forgive me for my despicable behaviour 🙏🏻)

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